As glaciers disappear in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, one man is helping farmers irrigate their fields by storing water in an innovative way

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Success

Norphel is continually improving his design, adding more glaciers higher up and near different villages. "Water is the most important thing we have. Without water, we have no food; no life," he says.....[
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Success

Norphel is continually improving his design, adding more glaciers higher up and near different villages. "Water is the most important thing we have. Without water, we have no food; no life," he says. Around 10,000 people now benefit from his 10 glaciers, but he knows that his technology provides just a temporary respite. "Even artificial glaciers won't freeze if it gets too warm," he warns.

Cattle Feed

Thanks to Norphel's man-made glacier, the villagers now have enough grass to store for their animals. It means that they no longer have to let herds in search of grazing patches roam far into the mountains, where they are easy prey for snow leopards and wolves.....[
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Cattle Feed

Thanks to Norphel's man-made glacier, the villagers now have enough grass to store for their animals. It means that they no longer have to let herds in search of grazing patches roam far into the mountains, where they are easy prey for snow leopards and wolves.

Excess

"We have so much [wheat] yield now that we are even selling some," says Tashi Angmo, who lives in Stakmo. "People who moved away are starting to return to the village because there is hope now."....[
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Excess

"We have so much [wheat] yield now that we are even selling some," says Tashi Angmo, who lives in Stakmo. "People who moved away are starting to return to the village because there is hope now."

Slowing the Flow

Sun Shadow

Norphel began by constructing stone walls in the slopes above the village to divert the runoff from winter precipitation into an area that is shaded from the sun during winter and spring by the mountain.....[
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Sun Shadow

Norphel began by constructing stone walls in the slopes above the village to divert the runoff from winter precipitation into an area that is shaded from the sun during winter and spring by the mountain.

Dry Village

The village of Stakmo, at 300 meters above sea level, is reached by a dusty road that winds through the barren Ladakhi landscape. The slopes surrounding the village were cloaked with three glaciers 30 years ago, but villagers say that over the past decade the glaciers have vanished, leaving nothing but bare rock.....[
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Dry Village

The village of Stakmo, at 300 meters above sea level, is reached by a dusty road that winds through the barren Ladakhi landscape. The slopes surrounding the village were cloaked with three glaciers 30 years ago, but villagers say that over the past decade the glaciers have vanished, leaving nothing but bare rock. Without water, the villagers' crops have failed. The snow line here has risen 150 meters, and glaciers have retreated by 10 kilometers.

Himalayan Desert

The high-altitude desert of Leh in northern India falls in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, receiving as little precipitation as the Sahara. Farming is possible only in valleys fed by glacial runoff, and these are becoming scarcer as glaciers disappear due to warming.....[
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]

Himalayan Desert

The high-altitude desert of Leh in northern India falls in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, receiving as little precipitation as the Sahara. Farming is possible only in valleys fed by glacial runoff, and these are becoming scarcer as glaciers disappear due to warming.